But by the time she reached the last line of her speech, she could feel the board’s interest slipping away. Giles had warned her that something unexpected would happen on the day, and it had. Fisher had raised his game.
“May I close my remarks, Mr. Chairman, by saying that it would be a great privilege for this Barrington to be allowed to join her illustrious forebears and chair the board, especially at a time when the company faces such real difficulties. I know that with your help I can overcome those difficulties and win back Barrington’s good name, and its reputation for excellence and financial probity.”
Emma sat down with a feeling that her report card would have read Could have done better. She just hoped that Giles was right about another of his pronouncements. Almost all of the people around that table would have already decided how they were going to vote long before the meeting had been called to order.
Once the two candidates had pleaded their case, it was the board members’ turn to offer their opinion. Most of them wanted to have their say, but not a great deal of insight or originality was evident during the next hour, and despite refusing to answer the question “Would you appoint Major Fisher as your deputy?” Emma still felt the outcome was in the balance. That was until Lady Virginia spoke.
“I only want to make one observation, chairman,” she cooed, accompanied by the fluttering of eyelashes. “I don’t believe that women were put on earth to chair boards, take on trade union leaders, build luxury liners or have to raise vast sums of money from bankers in the City of London. Much as I admire Mrs. Clifton and all she has achieved, I shall be supporting Major Fisher, and I only hope that she will accept the major’s generous offer to serve as his deputy. I came here with an open mind, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but sadly she has not lived up to my expectations.”
Emma had to admire Virginia’s nerve. She had clearly memorized every word of her script long before she’d entered the room, rehearsing even the dramatic pauses, yet somehow she managed to give the impression that she’d never intended to intervene until the last moment when she had been left with no choice but to deliver a few off-the-cuff remarks. Emma could only wonder how many of those seated around the boardroom table had been fooled. Certainly not Giles, who looked as if he could have strangled his former wife.
Only two people had not offered an opinion by the time Lady Virginia resumed her seat. The chairman, courteous as ever, said, “Before I call for a vote, I wonder if Mrs. Fisher or Mr. Hardcastle would like to make a contribution?”
“No, thank you, Mr. Chairman,” Susan Fisher blurted out, before, once again bowing her head. The chairman glanced toward Mr. Hardcastle.
“It’s kind of you to ask, chairman,” Hardcastle replied, “but I only wish to say that I have listened with great interest to all the contributions, and in particular to those of the two candidates, and that, like Lady Virginia, I have made up my mind who I shall be supporting.”
Fisher smiled at the Yorkshireman.
“Thank you, Mr. Hardcastle,” said the chairman. “Unless anyone else wishes to make a further contribution, the time has come for the members of the board to cast their votes.” He paused for a moment, but no one spoke. “The company secretary will now call out each name in turn. Please let him know which candidate you support.”
“I will begin with the executive directors,” said Webster, “before I invite the rest of the board to cast their votes. Mr. Buchanan?”
“I will not be supporting either candidate,” Buchanan said. “However, should the vote result in a tie, I will, as is the chairman’s prerogative, cast my vote in favor of the person I believe should be the next chairman.”
Ross had spent several sleepless nights wrestling with the question of who should succeed him, and had finally come down in favor of Emma. But Fisher’s resounding speech, and Emma’s rather feeble response, had caused him to reconsider. He still couldn’t bring himself to vote for Fisher, so he had decided to abstain, and allow his colleagues to make the decision. Nevertheless, if the vote resulted in a tie, he would have to reluctantly support Fisher.
Emma couldn’t hide her surprise and disappointment at Ross’s decision not to vote. Fisher smiled, and drew a line through the chairman’s name, which had, until then, been in the Clifton column.
“Mr. Dixon?”
“Mrs. Clifton,” said the chief executive without hesitation.
“Mr. Carrick?”
“Major Fisher,” said the finance director.
“Mr. Anscott?”
“Major Fisher.” Emma was disappointed, but not surprised, because she knew that meant Knowles would also vote against her.
“Sir Giles Barrington?”
“Mrs. Clifton.”
“Dr. Grace Barrington?”
“Mrs. Clifton.”
“Mrs. Emma Clifton?”
“I shall not be voting, chairman,” said Emma “and will abstain.” Fisher nodded his approval.
“Mr. Dobbs?”
“Mrs. Clifton.”
“Lady Virginia Fenwick?”